Preparing a Model for Texturing
Once you have finished building your model in MAX you'll want to prepare it to be painted by a texture artist, perhaps yourself, assuming this artist will use DeepPaint in order to paint your model you will want to provide them with at the very least a properly UV mapped .3DS model file and a corresponding texture file probably a .TGA. UV mapping involves virtually wrapping a two dimensional image across the surface of a three dimensional model. DeepUV is especially good at this as it allows you to select faces on the 3D object and then manipulate them across the 2D texture image with an array of exceptionally easy to use tools and achieve excellent results in a very short amount of time. More recent versions of MAX have offered a lot of the same tools within its Unwrap UVW tool although with an admittedly steeper learning curve. If your model is a simple shape and depending on your modeling practice you may not need to use DeepUV at all, you may find the mapping tools within MAX adequate. In order to start UV mapping your model in DeepUV you will need to apply a texture to it, it doesn't matter which one at this stage. If your model is particularly complex or contains complex transparency you will want to break it up into pieces to allow the texture artist easy access to all the surfaces that need painting you can do this simply by selecting each separate item and selecting export selected from the file menu. Whether you choose to export your pieces individually or as a whole choose .3DS from the file type menu. Open your .3DS file in DeepUV. Right Hemisphere provide easy to follow tutorials covering how to use their product. The basic method however is briefly covered here: Apply the kind of mapping to the entire model that gives the best map layout, in this case "Box". Start to select faces "cut" them from the mesh in 2D and "join" them back on in a more appropriate position attempting lay-out each area of the model with a nice flat orientation and to keep the seems, where possible, tucked neatly out of sight. DeepUV will not allow you to join a selection of faces onto a mesh in the wrong place. Use the hilariously easy "relax" tool to knead the separate pieces of your mesh into a shape where each face has as close to its original aspect ratio and surface area as possible. Use the collection of automated packing methods to layout your various shapes within your texture area, pretty much just click "pack all". Alternatively, if you prefer, you can do this stage manually. One you've saved this work back to your .3DS file re import the model back into MAX. Now it's time to create a "proto-texture" texporter can accomplish this in a few clicks. Open the texporter interface in you utilities panel. Input dimensions as powers of two, 64, 128, 512 etc. in this case 512 in width and height. Uncheck "backface cull". Select "colorize by: XYZ". Click "pick object" then click on your model. Save the resultant image as a .TGA You now have a model and texture suitable for use in DeepPaint. Category:Modelling Category:Tutorials